Did you know that Earth and Mars used to be fairly similar 4.5 billion years ago? A vast shallow sea shimmered and its reflection danced upon the hills underneath oxygen-rich skies. Fast forward to present time and Mars is a barren wasteland with a very thin atmosphere that is made up of 95% carbon dioxide. Scientists are still not sure what caused this shift. But, after some further study, they have found that the planet still has a few building blocks for life.

NASA’s Mars Rover, called Curiosity, has identified a variety of organic molecules – carbon-based molecules which are necessary for life – and Mars’s atmosphere has methane, a gas which is produced mainly by living organisms on Earth. Now, these two discoveries are not direct proof of life but could indicate the existence of martian organisms and further increase scientific curiosity.

THE MARS LANDSCAPE

So far, we have sent multiple rovers to Mars to collect samples for us, in fact, one is still there. These missions have offered us a true visual glimpse into the planet in addition to providing samples of rocks and soil for further scientific study. There is also a software called OnSight  which uses imagery from Curiosity to create an immersive 3D model of Mars and its terrain. 

This means scientists can wander the mountains and sandy dunes of the planet. They can also “meet” on Mars and interact together (walk, point and talk) via avatars making collaboration easier. But virtual reality cannot replace physical exploration. To truly take our exploration and understanding to the next level, we need to put humans on Mars.

WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR?

To make this goal a reality, we must continue to push the limits of technology. One big project is creating a new spacesuit which protects astronauts from both cosmic and solar radiation. We also need to make the next spacesuit lighter, allowing the wearer to be more agile and explore different types of terrains. Because currently, they are so big they inhibit astronomers from conducting scientific experiments. 

So the new design should be more like a second skin whilst providing the wearer with one-third of the atmosphere and, ideally, thermal protection. Scientists are working on a prototype for this as we speak, but this is one of the many technological challenges we still have to conquer.

TECHNOLOGICAL HURDLES

We still have a bit of a way to go before we are ready to send the first human to Mars. But every day, we are getting closer to this goal and the evolution of technology is only helping us accomplish this. In fact, the goal is to send four people in the 2030s. And Mars is just the beginning, who knows what the future holds.

HUMANS ON MARS?

Finn and his team came up with an experiment to showcase that it is impossible for an average user to read all the terms and conditions of all the apps they are using. They estimated that, on average, people use around thirty applications on their phone on a regular basis. So they printed out the terms of those apps, to visualise the sheer amount of text one would have to read. His team then proceed to read through all the printed terms which took more than thirty hours, even with several people. And keep in mind this text is not an easy read. So the conclusion is very clear: the terms and conditions are not meant to be read, they are made to be unreadable. 

TESTING OUR READING SKILLS

But it doesn’t end here. The terms and conditions are one thing, but app settings are another tangled web that need to be navigated carefully. As an example, Finn downloaded a dating application. He discovered that the app had a pre-checked box somewhere hidden in the settings allowing all of the user’s Facebook pics to be transferred to the app – including full rights for usage, duplication etc. He and his team filed a complaint about this in Norway and as a direct consequence, the terms of the app were changed globally. 

What this shows was that finding out how an app really uses your data is very tricky. Signing up or setting up an app is easy, just a few clicks and you’re done. However, understanding how an application uses your data is almost impossible because those options are not easily found. And publishers count on users not being informed about how apps use their data because it gives them more freedom to do as they wish.

But there’s more. Finn and his team also delved into voice recognition data and technology. Take ‘Cayla’, a voice recognition doll that is connected to Wikipedia so its goal is to help children further their learning. It's very easy to connect Cayla to a Bluetooth system, such as your phone, take control of Cayla and talk directly to kids.

But what if a stranger outside of your household connected to the doll, they too could talk to your kids. This discovery made headlines globally and unfortunately showcases how your data can be misused in a lot of different ways.

VOICE RECOGNITION HAS FLAWS TOO

Overall, it is understandable that applications need some information to offer us a free service. But what consumers want is to no longer feel deceived by how publishers use our personal information. Thus, Finn has an easy solution for the publishers and developers of the future. 

He suggests making processes more transparent. By offering more transparent processes, your application can stand out from the crowd by being the first to jump on this bandwagon and you can capitalise on this unique selling point.

THE USE OF DATA

China’s government wanted to be a world leader when it comes to production and technology. They managed to do so by leapfrogging across all industries which reduced the existing technological gap. For example, they went from almost no trains to high-tech speed trains, which can reach speeds of 350 km/h. Over 2,800 pairs of bullet trains run daily connecting over 550 cities in China and covering 33 of the country's 34 provinces. Also, China went from landlines directly to smartphones. While we are still discussing mobile-first, China’s functions on a mobile-only basis.

Also, in Europe, we use multiple applications for our shopping, social media and payment services. It’s a bit messy at times. However, in China, there are only two platforms: 

1. Tencent’s “WeChat” messenger (an equivalent of SMS Messaging+Skype+Gaming+Market Place+Instagram+Facebook+Twitter+Mobile payment solutions), QQ music (equivalent to Apple’s iTunes), QQ mail and QQ  (a social media platform equivalent to Facebook)

2.  Alibaba with Youku Tudou (equivalent to YouTube),  Taobao and Tmall (both B2C e-commerce platforms) as well as Alipay (covering the online payment sector).

The synergies across all of the multiple services provided by both giants result in an ability  to coordinate and control the Chinese ecosystem. John calls this Social Commerce. 

All the collected Data from only two companies combined are able to offer better products on the market at lower product development costs.

HOW DID CHINA RISE TO THE TOP?

Imagine coming home after a long day, shopping online for your groceries and having them delivered to your door within minutes of having checked out online. You can also shop in-store and choose exactly when you want your groceries delivered later that day. You bought the groceries but you don’t want to prepare the dish yourself? No problem! Bring your groceries to the store and a chef will whip you up something using your ingredients. Whatever you need, there’s a solution.

It boils down to online presence keeps the offline store alive. This system is called ‘Click & Mortar’. Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, is a driver of this retail vision and her goal is to have the digital economy become the primary economy.

But what will happen to all the small corner stores of the country if the digital economy takes over? They will survive thanks to Alibaba and JD who will offer their technological help. If asked, they will install IT systems which can help with:

• Stock predictions.

• Click and collect.

• Customer recognition.

John points out in his talk that big tech companies are actually saving the retail industry by helping smaller businesses thrive.

CLICK AND MORTAR

John showed that our retail future is already a reality in China. They are years ahead of us and continue to develop at a fast pace. We can develop some of their practices but for that, we need to change our mindset. Let’s embrace mobile-first and the ‘Click & Mortar’ vision to take our brands to the next level.

THE FUTURE ALREADY EXISTS